Coin pay-out means for coin changers

ABSTRACT

A coin changer with provisions for paying out coins of different denomination has slide members for discharging the change coins singly from storage tubes. The slide members are actuated by individual cams on a common drive shaft, selectively, under the control of an electromagnetic latch device that locks or releases the coin pay-out slides as determined by the amount of overpayment deposited in the changer.

United States Patent [191 Lotspeich COIN PAY-OUT MEANS FOR COIN CHANGERS[75] Inventor: Joseph A. Lotspeich, St. Paul, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Coin Acceptors, Inc., St. Louis, Mo.

[22] Filed: July 17, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 55,855

[52] U.S. Cl. 133/2, 133/5 [51] Int. Cl. G07d l/06 [58] Field of Search133/2, 5 B

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,048,181 8/1962 Quinn 133/23,435,833 4/1969 Tanaka 133/2 3,359,993 12/1967 Tryon et al. 133/23,175,670 3/1965 Offutt et a1. 194/10 2,571,596 10/1951 Meredith et a1.133/2 X June 12, 1973 3,140,765 7/1964 Sundblad et al. 133/2 X 1,123,296l/l9l5 Hibner 3,181,678 5/1965 Adverstick et 211.. 1,465,409 8/1923 Baur133/5 B Primary ExaminerSamuel F. Coleman Assistant Examiner-Norman L.Stack, Jr. Att0rneyCohn and Powell [57] ABSTRACT A coin changer withprovisions for paying out coins of different denomination has slidemembers for discharging the change coins singly from storage tubes. Theslide members are actuated by individual cams on a common drive shaft,selectively, under the control of an electromagnetic latch device thatlocks or releases the coin pay-out slides as determined by the amount ofover-payment deposited in the changer.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIEW'ZW 3.733.317

SHEE? 1 W 3 IN VE N 702 J'DSE PH A. Lars PE/CH ATTORNEYS COIN PAY-OUTMEANS FOR COIN CHANGERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to coin changers for vending machines, and hasparticular reference to improvements in pay-out or change return meansfor such apparatus. More specifically, the invention has to do withimproved provisions for returning change in coins of either of twodenominations when money deposited in the changer exceeds the salesprice of the article to -be vended. For example, for a 15 cent vend adime will be returned when a quarter is deposited and a nickel will bereturned when two dimes are deposited.

Coin changers having means for returning coins in more than onedenomination have heretofor been known and made available to the trade.Prevailing changers of this type, designed for use in vending machines,are relatively complicated. They occupy considerable space in thechanger housing making for crowded conditions therein which hamperservicing of the equipment. The dual coin return means of the presentinvention is simpler, requires less space, less service attention and,in general, is more reliable and troublefree than existing dual coinreturn mechanisms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the pay-out means, coin tubes and pay-outslides similar to those known and heretofor used in coin changers areemployed. Such means include coin tubes and pay-out slides located atthe lower ends of the tubes. The invention hereof is primarilyidentified with means for selectively controlling the actuation of thepay-out slides. Such means include slide actuating links, one connectedto each slide, arranged for endwise reciprocating movement by camsmounted on a common drive shaft. A keeper element locks the drive linksalternatively when moved from one position to another by means of asolenoid controlled by coin switches in the changer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view, partlyin section, illustrating the pay-out means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the component parts of a coinslide-out mechanism;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating the component parts of coinslide-out actuating and locking mechanism, and

FIG. 4 illustrates the lower portion of a changer housing with thepay-out means removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Coin changers of the kind towhich the pay-out mechanism hereof is applicable are illustrated anddescribed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,175,670 and 3,181,678. Briefly, suchchangers have mechanisms for rejecting slugs and unacceptable coins andfor separating acceptable coins according to their denominations.Acceptable coins travel downwardly in predetermined paths through thechanger, and during their descent, they trip coin switches and finallydrop, either into coin tubes for use in making change, or, when thetubes are filled, into a cash box. A stepper or counting device receivespulses from the coin switches and programs the mechanism for paying outcorrect change when the sums deposited exceed the sales price of thevending merchandise.

The present invention relates to the change pay-out means, and such willbe described with reference to a changer designed to return a nickelwhen two dimes are deposited for a 15 cent sale, or a dime when aquarter is deposited for a 15 cent sale.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 showscomponents of the pay-out mechanism in assembly. Such parts, located inthe lower end portion of the changer housing 10, include a coin tube 11for holding nickels and a coin tube 12 for holding dimes, these beingarranged in side-by-side relation. The open lower ends of the tubescommunicate with a coin slide-out mechanism of known type, thecomponents of which are best illustrated in FIG. 2. These include anickel pay-out slide 13, a dime pay-out slide 14, a fixed plate 15between the pay-out slides 13 and 14, a fixed plate 16 underlying thedime pay-out slide 14 and a base member 17 on which the above designatedcomponents are mounted. The parts are held in assembly by screws 18which pass through holes 19 in base 18 and threaded in holes 20 of theplate 15. The fixed plate 16 has a dime-sized opening 16a. It fitssnugly in a corresponding recess 21 in the upper surface of the base 17in overlying relation to a sloping surface that leads to a bottomopening 22, and thence to a coin return chute (not shown). Base 17 isalso provided with a second opening 23 that communicates with a nickelreturn chute (not shown).

The nickel pay-out slide 13 has a depending stub shaft 25 which extendsthrough and rotates in openings 26 and 27 in the fixed plates 15 and 16respectively, and through hole 28 in slide 14 to provide a pivot forthat slide. Pay-out slide 13 has an opening 30 which, when slide 13 inin normal or stand-by position, is located out of register with anopening 31 in fixed plate 15, so as to confine the coins in the tubewhen the machine is idle. Similarly, opening 32 in dime slide 14 isnormally out of register with opening 33 in plate 15. An upstanding post34 on slide 13 and a depending post 35 on slide 14 are coupledrespectively to drive links 36 and 37 (FIGS. 1 and 3).

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, base 17 is provided with an upstanding part38 having a vertical passage constituting a guideway for a latch elementor keeper 39 for the drive links 36 and 37.

As best appears in FIG. 3, the drive links 36 and 37 each havebifurcated end parts and with spaced legs 40 and 41, respectively. Thelegs 40 of link 36 straddle the hub 42 of ram 43 which normally actsagainst an upstanding follower lip 44 on the said link. Similarly, legs41 oflink 31 straddle hub 45 of cam 46 which normally acts against adepending follower lip 46 on line 37. The cams 43 and 46 are shown aseach having two lobes in relationship so that one complete revolution ofa cam would normally produce two forward and two return strokes of itsrelated drive link. The cams may also be of single lobe variety.

Both cams 43 and 46 are mounted on the shaft 48 of a drive motor 49,energized through and controlled by a stepper or counting device (notshown) to which reference has heretofor been made.

Drive link 36 has an opening 50 through which extends the post 34 on thenickel pay-out slide 13, post 34 constituting a crank pin through whichreciprocating movement of link 36 is transmitted to the slide 13 torotate or oscillate that member about its axis 25. A tension spring 51has one end secured to the projecting upper end of the crank pin 34, andthe opposite end anchored to an upstanding part of a pin 52 that extendsfixedly through a horizontal end wall 53 of the changer housing.

In similar fashion, the depending post or crank pin 35 on the dimepay-out slide projects downwardly through opening 54 in driven link 37,and tension spring 55 has one end secured to crank pin 35 and theopposite end anchored to a depending part of fixed pin 52.

It will appear that the springs 51 and 55 act on the crank pins, andthrough those pins act on the drive links in a direction tending to movethose parts toward the cams. Hence, when the drive links are free oflatch means, to be subsequently described, the follower lips of thedrive links will be held by the spring in contact with the cammingsurfaces of the cams. Cam rotation will then cause the links to drivethe pay-out slide forwardly and the springs will impel the slides andlinks in the reverse to return direction. With each cycle of a pay-outslide, (a forward and a return stroke), a coin will be discharged fromits associated coin tube.

The pay-out slides are susceptible of movement, as above described, onlywhen the drive links 36 and 37 are free of the latch element or keeper39. As best appears in FIG. 3, the drive links are provided near theirforward ends with attenuated neck portions 56 and 57. Keeper 39 has aT-shaped opening comprised by horizontal top passage 58 of sufficientwidth to accomodate the full width of drive link 36, and a verticalpassage 59 of width to accommodate only the neck portion 56 of the link36. A vertical slot or passage 60 is sized to accommodate the neckportion 57 of link 37.

Keeper 39 is movable vertically in its guideway by means of a solenoiddevice 61, comprising a coil 62, armature plunger 63, and clevis 64connected by cotter pin 65 to the head 66 of the keeper 39. When thesolenoid is de-energized, the keeper drops to a position wherein itshorizontal passage 58 registers with the drive link 36 and allows thatmember to move freely under the influences of the cam 43 and spring 51.While in the same position, the lower portion of keeper 39 straddles theattenuated neck 57 of drive link 36 to lock that member and, hence, thedime pay-out slide,

in place. When the solenoid 62 is energized, the keeper 39 is raisedclear of the link 37, freeing that member and its associated pay-outslide for movement, while bringing the vertical portion 59 of the T-slotinto register with the neck 56 of link 36, and thus locking that linkand its associated nickel pay-out slide against movement.

The motor 49 drives the cam shaft 48 through gears within the enclosureindicated by 70. The drive assembly is suitably programmed in thepresent case wherein two-lobed cams are employed, to move the camsthrough a half revolution. The cams always stop in a home position,wherein the neck portions of the drive links are aligned with the keeperso that member may be freely actuated by its solenoid.

The solenoid coil 62 is in circuit with a 25 cent control switch whichfunctions to energize solenoid 62 and the pay-out drive motor 49, and tosend a vend signal tothe vending mechanism, all responsive to the actionof a quarter as it travels downwardly through the changer. The energizedsolenoid 62 raises the latch bar or keeper 39, thus releasing the 10cent pay-out slide for operation by the drive motor and spring whilelocking the 5 cent pay-out slide against movement, as heretofordescribed. When two dimes are sequentially deposited, a coin switchimpinged by the second dime, initiates operation of the vendingmechanism and the pay-out drive motor. The solenoid 62 remainsdeenergized and the latch bar 39 remains in its normal down" position.The 10 cent pay-out slide is thereby locked in place while the 5 centpay-out slide is free to operate and discharge on nickel.

- I claim as my invention:

1. In a coin changer, change pay-out means comprising:

a. a plurality of coin storage tubes, disposed in substantially side byside parallel relation,

b. a plurality of pay-out slide means, one associated with each coinstorage tube,

0. actuating means for said pay-out slide means,

d. locking means engageable with the slide means for selectivelyimmobilizing said slide means,

e. each of said pay-out slide means includes a coindischargeable slideplate, an elongate drive link, and a pivot means interconnecting thedrive link and the slide plate,

f. each of the drive links have locking abutment means formed thereon,

g. said locking means includes a single keeper element adaptedselectively to coact with the locking abutment means of each drive link,thereby to immobilize the selected drive link and its associatedcoin-dischargeable slide plate,

. the drive links being disposed in parallel adjacency extendingsubstantially at right angles to the coin storage tubes, and insuperimposed relation in a plane substantially parallel to the tubes,

i. said single keeper element being arranged for movement substantiallyparallel to the coin storage tubes, and in a path intersecting the drivelinks, and

j. the coin-dischargeable slide plates being located between the drivelinks.

2. The device defined in claim 1, in which:

k. the actuating means includes a drive shaft, and cams mounted on androtatable with said drive shaft,

I. each of the drive links has cam abutment means at one side of itsassociated slide plate and toward one end of the drive link,

m. the locking abutment means of each drive link being located at theother side of its associated slide plate and toward the other end of thedrive link, and

n. each cam coacting with the cam abutment means of one drive link,whereby to actuate the drive link not immobilized by the keeper elementengageable with the locking abutment means of the immobilized drive linkand thereby actuate the coindischargeable slide plate associated withthe actuated drive link.

Patent No.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 38, 377 Dated June 12, 1973 Inventor(s)Joseph A. Lotspeich It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Column 2, Line 12,

Column 3,

Column 2, line 36, "13

[SEAL] Line Line

Line

Lines Line Line Line Line

Line

Line

to dimes 13,

change change change change change and "ro" to or number "36" to 37 in"should read 13 is Signed and Scaled this Twentieth D a) of September I977 change change A ttest:

RUTH C. MASON Attesting Officer LUTRELLE F. PARKER Acting Commissionerof Patents and Trademarks

1. In a coin changer, change pay-out means comprising: a. a plurality ofcoin storage tubes, disposed in substantially side by side parallelrelation, b. a plurality of pay-out slide means, one associated witheach coin storage tube, c. actuating Means for said pay-out slide means,d. locking means engageable with the slide means for selectivelyimmobilizing said slide means, e. each of said pay-out slide meansincludes a coindischargeable slide plate, an elongate drive link, and apivot means interconnecting the drive link and the slide plate, f. eachof the drive links have locking abutment means formed thereon, g. saidlocking means includes a single keeper element adapted selectively tocoact with the locking abutment means of each drive link, thereby toimmobilize the selected drive link and its associated coin-dischargeableslide plate, h. the drive links being disposed in parallel adjacencyextending substantially at right angles to the coin storage tubes, andin superimposed relation in a plane substantially parallel to the tubes,i. said single keeper element being arranged for movement substantiallyparallel to the coin storage tubes, and in a path intersecting the drivelinks, and j. the coin-dischargeable slide plates being located betweenthe drive links.
 2. The device defined in claim 1, in which: k. theactuating means includes a drive shaft, and cams mounted on androtatable with said drive shaft, l. each of the drive links has camabutment means at one side of its associated slide plate and toward oneend of the drive link, m. the locking abutment means of each drive linkbeing located at the other side of its associated slide plate and towardthe other end of the drive link, and n. each cam coacting with the camabutment means of one drive link, whereby to actuate the drive link notimmobilized by the keeper element engageable with the locking abutmentmeans of the immobilized drive link and thereby actuate thecoin-dischargeable slide plate associated with the actuated drive link.